California Walnut Acreage Publication

United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service

2021 California
Walnut Acreage Report
Cooperating with the California Department of Food and Agriculture
Pacific Regional Office · P.O. Box 1258 · Sacramento, CA 95812 · (916) 738-6600 · (855) 270-2722 Fax · www.nass.usda.gov/ca

Released: May 26, 2022, 12:00 p.m. PDT

RESULTS
California’s 2021 walnut acreage is estimated at 445,000
acres, with 390,000 acres bearing and 55,000 acres nonbearing. Bearing acreage was up 2.6% from 2020.

With perfect information, the estimated walnut acreage and
the detailed data would be the same. However, differences
exist for the following reasons:

WALNUT BEARING AND NON-BEARING ACREAGE 1

• A voluntary survey of approximately 4,900 walnut
growers is unlikely to ever attain 100% completeness.

Year 2
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

Bearing
290,000
300,000
315,000
335,000
350,000
365,000
380,000
390,000

Non-bearing
(NA)
65,000
(NA)
65,000
(NA)
75,000
(NA)
55,000

Total
(NA)
365,000
(NA)
400,000
(NA)
440,000
(NA)
445,000

1

Reported data with an allowance for incompleteness.
Beginning with 2003, acreage survey conducted every
other year.
(NA) Not available.
2

Of the walnut acreage reported, Chandler continued to be
the leading variety with 140,720 bearing acres. Tulare
continued in second place with 31,085 bearing acres.
Of the total walnut acreage in the state, San Joaquin County
showed the largest acreage with 14.1% of the total, followed
by Butte with 13.7% and Tulare with 9.9%.

OBJECTIVES
The Pacific Regional Office of the USDA’s National
Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts an acreage
survey of California walnut growers every other year. The
purpose of this survey is to provide walnut acreage
information on new plantings and removals. It is a
continuation of a long series of industry-funded walnut
acreage surveys.
This report consists of two parts:
• Estimated walnut acreage -- bearing, non-bearing, and
total.

• It is difficult for USDA, NASS to detect growers that are
planting walnuts for the first time.
The detailed data reflects tree removals from nearly 9,000
acres during the past two years. Of this number, some
acreage was harvested in 2021 prior to being pulled out, and
that acreage has already been removed from the detailed
data.

PROCEDURES
The major source of the walnut detailed data was a
questionnaire mailed to all walnut growers from our list of
walnut orchards. The mailing was sent in October 2021. The
questionnaire contained previously reported crop, variety,
and acreage information preprinted. Producers were asked
to update the information with new plantings, removals, and
any other corrections; new growers were mailed a blank
questionnaire. Producers were given time to respond by
mail. A telephone follow-up was then undertaken. Data
collection ended in May 2022.
To arrive at the estimated walnut acreage, the NASS walnut
acreage database was compared with pesticide application
data maintained by County Agricultural Commissioners and
the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. In
addition, NASS looked at data collected on the Walnut
Nursery Sales Survey.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The USDA, NASS, Pacific Regional Office sincerely
appreciates the many farm operators, owners, and
management firms for providing the information. A special
thanks goes to the California Walnut Board for providing
funding and support of this special acreage update survey.

• Detailed data by variety, year planted, and county – as
voluntarily reported by walnut growers and maintained
in the NASS database.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

WALNUT ACREAGE AS OF 2021 -- COUNTIES AND AGE GROUPS -- STATE SUMMARY
ACREAGE PLANTED DURING YEARS SHOWN AND STANDING IN 2021
County
Amador
Butte
Calaveras

2009 and
earlier

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

1

2019

2020

Acres standing in 2021
NonBearing
Total
bearing

2021

254

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

254

0

254

24,778

2,469

1,193

1,622

2,124

1,154

1,546

1,324

815

496

497

444

254

36,881

1,834

38,714

730

4

0

1

0

0

0

0

2

0

13

0

0

737

13

750

5,514

482

531

923

551

484

609

594

272

104

418

112

171

9,959

806

10,764

Contra Costa

269

0

67

0

6

1

40

0

12

0

0

0

0

395

0

395

El Dorado

236

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

236

0

236

Fresno

4,274

113

419

164

150

220

612

251

74

484

125

28

16

6,275

654

6,929

Glenn

12,947

954

963

489

1,038

1,120

548

309

252

234

237

56

119

18,611

655

19,266

Colusa

Kern

170

0

39

0

0

0

161

80

0

0

0

0

0

450

0

450

Kings

7,735

468

291

372

353

538

721

97

163

84

69

44

4

10,726

212

10,939

Lake

3,440

27

40

23

163

65

66

21

7

48

5

12

0

3,851

64

3,915

Madera

918

25

118

50

21

197

1

118

65

0

1

0

0

1,513

1

1,514

Merced

4,497

116

481

553

335

244

276

222

134

122

25

14

154

6,841

330

7,171

Monterey

270

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

270

0

270

Napa

167

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

167

0

167

Placer

349

140

22

121

188

0

81

0

0

0

0

0

0

900

0

900

Sacramento

661

0

0

52

1

63

11

0

0

0

0

0

0

787

0

787

San Benito
San Joaquin
San Luis Obispo

893

4

0

25

36

29

7

111

0

0

45

0

0

1,106

45

1,151

28,484

1,451

987

1,187

1,524

1,440

1,948

575

408

288

818

233

335

37,788

1,891

39,679

2,041

0

0

0

0

6

0

0

4

0

23

0

0

2,047

27

2,074

Santa Barbara

390

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

390

0

390

Santa Clara

284

2

2

4

0

0

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

297

0

297

Shasta

786

0

0

61

1

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

851

0

851

Solano

6,548

217

40

362

105

98

425

281

45

65

82

0

0

7,973

295

8,268

86

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

86

1

87

Stanislaus

16,288

703

721

1,028

2,125

877

1,353

656

320

151

482

137

106

23,985

961

24,946

Sutter

19,740

895

748

1,130

824

786

628

274

122

72

397

206

141

25,081

881

25,962

Tehama

13,353

1,333

741

1,023

965

1,141

1,031

230

484

461

32

265

52

20,263

849

21,112

Tulare

21,039

851

722

904

657

1,219

1,009

604

341

261

244

17

117

27,315

669

27,984

Sonoma

Ventura

121

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

122

0

122

8,022

476

541

227

212

330

1,413

397

154

16

2

85

2

11,676

203

11,879

8,328

539

536

777

484

661

837

163

143

737

231

152

33

12,385

1,234

13,619

88

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

89

1

90

Total
193,696 11,269
9,201
11,099
11,861
10,674
13,327
6,307
3,817
3,624
3,744
1
Totals may not add due to rounding.
2
All other counties include Alameda, Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino, Nevada, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Cruz, and Siskiyou.

1,805

1,505

270,304

11,625

281,928

Yolo
Yuba
All Others

2

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

WALNUT ACREAGE AS OF 2021 - VARIETIES AND AGE GROUPS - STATE SUMMARY
ACREAGE PLANTED DURING YEARS SHOWN AND STANDING IN 2021 1
Variety
Amigo
Antenelle
Ashley
Blackmer/Mautner/Vaughn
Carmelo
Chandler
Chico
Cisco
Eureka
Forde
Franquette
Franquette Scharsch
Gillet
Gustine
Hartley
Howard
Ivanhoe
Livermore
Marchetti
Mayette
Midland
Nuggett
Paradox
Payne
Pedro
Poe
Serr
Solano
Sunland
Tehama
Trinta
Tulare
Vina
All Others

2009 and
earlier
69
0
1,531
250
41
87,695
1,036
49
1,686
42
5,344
97
2
69
25,802
21,756
16
24
178
286
110
121
99
3,115
156
322
10,107
0
1,149
1,417
95
19,786
9,051
2,194

2010
0
0
0
0
6
7,334
0
0
0
17
10
0
85
0
67
1,629
118
0
0
0
0
0
19
4
0
0
31
4
0
49
10
1,594
17
274

2011
0
0
0
0
1
6,653
0
0
4
71
32
0
11
0
62
921
163
0
0
0
0
0
19
1
0
1
32
0
0
0
0
1,093
60
78

2012

0
0
10
0
0
7,974
0
3
3
0
39
0
0
0
183
744
141
30
0
0
0
0
56
8
0
1
68
41
2
0
0
2,411
2
147

2014
0
71
0
0
36
6,880
0
0
1
0
4
0
0
0
15
1,018
188
5
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
88
0
0
0
2,184
7
176

2015
0
0
1
0
0
9,645
0
1
4
0
50
0
0
0
148
748
319
163
0
0
0
0
1
72
0
0
6
470
0
0
0
1,498
1
202

2016
0
0
0
0
0
4,272
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
162
308
105
55
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
10
221
57
0
0
1,015
0
101

2017
0
0
0
0
0
2,161
0
0
1
0
2
0
0
0
17
657
322
105
0
0
0
0
0
19
0
0
0
182
0
0
0
320
0
32

2018
0
0
0
0
0
2,273
0
0
0
0
5
0
0
0
2
548
342
115
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
113
4
0
0
156
0
63

2019
0
0
0
0
0
2,669
33
0
0
0
22
0
0
0
60
153
203
152
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
1
1
130
0
0
0
210
0
111

2020

2021

Acres standing in 2021
NonBearing
Total
bearing

0
0
0
0
0
1,120
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
14
196
18
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
169
0
0
0
75
34
173

0
0
0
0
0
1,002
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
187
23
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
47
0
0
0
150
0
79

69
71
1,542
250
152
140,720
1,036
53
1,699
149
5,431
98
98
69
26,354
29,024
1,634
222
178
286
110
121
210
3,203
157
324
10,255
641
1,208
1,466
132
31,085
9,158
3,102

0
0
0
0
0
7,064
33
1
1
0
78
0
0
0
261
1,084
585
435
0
0
0
1
0
20
0
1
11
862
4
0
0
591
34
559

69
71
1,542
250
152
147,784
1,069
54
1,700
149
5,509
98
98
69
26,615
30,108
2,219
657
178
286
110
121
210
3,223
157
325
10,266
1,503
1,212
1,466
132
31,676
9,192
3,661

Total
193,696
11,269
9,201
11,099
11,861
10,674
13,327
6,307
3,817
3,624
3,744
1,805
1
Totals may not add due to rounding. Shaded/bold area represents non-bearing years and includes plantings of the following: Chandler, Chico, Howard
Ivanhoe, Tulare (2018-2021); Amigo, Ashley, Cisco, Gustine, Marchetti, Nuggett, Payne, Pedro, Serr, Sunland, Tehama, Trinta, Vina (2017-2021);
Franquette, Franquette Scharsch, Mayette, Poe (2015-2021); all other varieties not specified (2016-2021).

1,505

270,304

11,625

281,928

2021 California Walnut Acreage Report (May 26, 2022)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

0
0
0
0
68
8,107
0
0
1
20
1
0
0
0
78
1,245
263
0
0
0
0
0
15
0
0
0
1
38
0
0
27
1,185
20
30

2013

Page 3 of 4

Year

California Walnut Acreage, Production and Value, 1995-2021
Yield per
Grower return
Bearing
Non-bearing
Production
acre
per ton
Acres

Acres

Tons

Tons

Dollars

Total value
1,000 Dollars

1995
1996
1997
1998
1999

193,000
192,000
193,000
198,000
197,000

23,300
23,200
20,900
29,000
30,000

234,000
208,000
269,000
227,000
283,000

1.21
1.08
1.39
1.15
1.44

1,400.00
1,580.00
1,430.00
1,050.00
886.00

327,600
328,640
384,670
238,350
250,738

2000
2001
2002
2003
2004

200,000
204,000
210,000
213,000
214,000

31,000
29,000
27,000
27,000
(NA)

239,000
305,000
282,000
326,000
325,000

1.20
1.50
1.34
1.53
1.52

1,240.00
1,120.00
1,170.00
1,160.00
1,390.00

296,360
341,600
329,940
378,160
451,750

2005
2006
2007
2008
2009

215,000
216,000
218,000
230,000
240,000

26,000
(NA)
25,000
(NA)
28,000

355,000
346,000
328,000
436,000
437,000

1.65
1.60
1.50
1.90
1.82

1,570.00
1,630.00
2,290.00
1,280.00
1,710.00

557,350
563,980
751,120
558,080
747,270

2010
2011
2012
2013
2014

255,000
265,000
270,000
280,000
290,000

(NA)
35,000
(NA)
45,000
(NA)

504,000
461,000
497,000
492,000
571,000

1.98
1.74
1.84
1.76
1.97

2,040.00
2,900.00
3,030.00
3,710.00
3,340.00

1,028,160
1,336,900
1,505,910
1,825,320
1,907,140

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019

300,000
315,000
335,000
350,000
365,000

65,000
(NA)
65,000
(NA)
75,000

606,000
689,000
630,000
679,000
655,000

2.02
2.19
1.88
1.94
1.79

1,670.00
1,850.00
2,490.00
1,350.00
1,890.00

1,012,020
1,274,650
1,568,700
916,650
1,237,950

2020
380,000
(NA)
2021
390,000
55,000
(NA) Not available.
Source: USDA, NASS, Pacific Regional Office

790,000
725,000

2.08
1.86

1,200.00
1,410.00

948,000
1,022,250

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.